African American and Hispanic populations have an increased incidence of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. However, the result of other studies have shown that these racial gaps aren't present when levels of education and socioeconomic status is accounted for. The Alzheimer's Association explains this phenomenon by suggesting that minority groups such as these have higher incidences of health conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes, both of which increase the risk for developing Alzheimer's. These two conditions are heavily influenced by poverty and lack of higher education, so it would seem that that is the underlying condition behind the racial gap.
*It should be noted that the graph cited above used primarily Caribbean-American populations while most Hispanic populations in the US are Mexican-American. This may have increased the observed prevalence for Hispanics in this study than estimated.
Figure:
Proportion of People Age 65 and Older with Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias [Online Image]. (2014). Retrieved January 16, 2015 from http://www.alz.org/downloads/Facts_Figures_2014.pdf
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